1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to flocked laminates which can be adhered to articles when placed thereon and heat-pressed and which exhibit outstanding adhering properties and resistance to washing when so applied. More particularly the invention relates to flocked laminates comprising a synthetic resin base layer, a layer of an adhesive prepared from a polymer emulsion and applied to the base layer and a flock layer formed on the adhesive layer, the adhesive incorporating a finely divided synthetic resin having hotmelt adhering properties and admixed with the polymer emulsion.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore generally used as adhesives for the direct flocking process are acrylic emulsions which are predominantly of the self-cross-linking type or reactive type. For example, such acrylic emulsions are used as adhesives of the heat-press type in combination with a base layer of polyamide resin having low-melting point.
However, flocked laminates of such structure were not fully resistant to washing. While the flocked laminates of this invention are used mainly as number markings on baseball uniforms and appliques on children's garments, bags, etc., these articles must be washed frequently. Accordingly if the laminates have high resistance to washing in addition to the requirement of exhibiting good adhering properties when heat-pressed as against uniforms, the laminates will have a correspondingly higher commercial value, whereas the flocked laminates of this type heretofore known were not fully resistant to washing. Attempts have been made to overcome this problem. For instance, it has been proposed to add melamine resin to the acrylic emulsion to afford a fortified cross-linked structure [Rubber Digest (Tokyo), September, 1961, Vol. 13, No. 9, pp. 18-19]. The proposal nevertheless still fails to give satisfactory washing resistance. Furthermore improved washing resistance, if available, requires use of an increased amount of melamine resin which gives off the odor of formalin during use and provides too hard a hand.